Some Attracting Features about Kerala Tourism

Kerala, placed on the south-western tilt of India, takes pleasure in unique environmental features that have made it one of the most adored tourist destinations in Asia. Fondly referred to as ‘God’s Own Country’, Kerala is one of the 50 destinations of a lifetime and one of the thirteen paradises in the world. The levelheaded climate, unruffled beaches, peaceful extends of backwaters, thriving hill stations and striking wildlife are the major pulling towards traits about Kerala tourism. The cultural wonders such as classical art forms, colorful celebrations, and unusual cuisine show the edifying prosperity of Kerala. Season never ends in Kerala.

Stiff between the Western Ghats on the East and the Arabian Sea on the West, this narrow strip of land is a destination of a lifetime. The timeless beauty of the palm fringed beaches of Kovalam and Varkala, the majesty of the undulating hills of Munnar and Vagamon, the serenity of the pristine backwaters of Kumarakom & Kuttanad and the enchanting woods and forests of Thekkady and Silent Valley will have you bowled over. That such a small terrain can hold diverse geographical features and cultures is a wonder in itself.

Waterfalls

Aathirappilly Waterfalls

A journey in the course of the copious forests and hill stations in Kerala will take you to some of the best waterfalls that you have ever experienced in your life before. The water burbling down the rocky cliffs, enclosed by lush green plants is a vista you would never want to miss. The falls at Aathirapilly, Soochipara, Thusharagiri or Thommankoothu, etc are the places that show you an aspect of nature that is wild, soothing, and calm simultaneously. The marvelously landscaped way to Aathirapilly gives you sights of the milky white waters that flood past rocks, noisy a rhythm that will make you forget all worries. In summer these waterfalls keep within bounds to calm gush where you can sit on the rocks and enjoy this scenery being in a touch.

Pilgrimage

Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Kerala is well-known for its abundant places of worship. Temples, churches or mosques, in each district in the state are significant pilgrim centres that are visited by devotees all through the year. Of these the most famous pilgrim centre is the Sabarimala Temple in Pathanamthitta district. Mandalapooja in the month of November and Makaravilakku in the month of January are the two main events here in Sabarimala. The Guruvayoor Sri Krishna Temple and Sri Vadakkumnathan Temple in Thrissur, Chottanikkara Bhagavathy Temple, Cochin, Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple, Trivandrum, are some of the famous temples in Kerala among many others.

The Mary’s Forane Church

Christianity in Kerala is supposed to be as old as the Christian era itself as a result giving some primeval churches to Kerala. The Mary’s Forane Church (oldest church in Kerala), Malayatoor Church accepting the footsteps of St Thomas and St Francis Church (the first European church in Kerala) are some of the most well-known churches of Gods Own Country. The mosques in Kerala are usually enclosed arrangements comprising a large prayer hall in the centre with covered verandhas on all the sides. The mosques at Patalayini, the Jama-Masjid at Tannur, the mosques at Ponnani, Malappuram, Jami-Masjid at Baypore in Kozhikode district, Mithqual mosque in Calicut, are some of the famous mosques.

Backwaters

Kerala Backwaters

The coastal provinces of Kerala have an arrangement of waterways, inlets from the sea, and estuaries of over forty rivers, lakes and natural inland waterways connecting coastal towns. This interweaved body of waterways is known as the backwaters of Kerala. Many unique species of aquatic life including crabs, frogs and mudskippers, water birds such as terns, kingfishers, darters and cormorants, and animals such as otters and turtles live in and alongside the backwaters in Kerala. Palm trees, pandanus shrubs, various leafy plants and bushes are a common feature about Kerala tourism backwaters, coloring the nearby landscape, a rich green. Sail the backwaters for an etched mind experience that lets you look into nature’s miraculous land.

Wildlife

Periyar National Park

Kerala, with its lush green tropical forests, attracts some exotic flora and fauna that make it worth your while to get a glimpse of life in the wild. The wildlife of Periyar, Thekkady and the deep dense forests offer the adventure seekers a fine holiday. Bird watching, jungle safaris etc are the other activities perfect for adventure lovers, when exploring the wildlife of Kerala. At the Periyar National Park you may spot the wild elephants, leopard, wild dog, barking deer, mouse deer, Nilgiri langur (a primate), bonnet macaque, sambar, porcupines, squirrels, gaur (Indian bison), wild boar and sloth bear besides the tigers and the Nilgiri tahrs.  Along with animals Periyar is home to monitor lizards, pythons, king cobras and flying lizards. Birds like darters, cormorants, ibises, gray herons, mynas, flycatchers, orioles, wood pigeons, kingfishers, kites, ospreys, thrushes, and parakeets add to the attraction of Periyar. The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary also offers the unique opportunity to photograph wild animals at close quarters.

Eravikulam National Park

The Eravikulam National Park is situated in the Devikulam Taluk of the Idukki District. It lures the travelers with its irresistible grace and beauty. The 97 sq km park lies along the high ranges of the western coast in the Munnar Forest Division of Idukki district in Kerala. It is situated on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the north where it extends as the Annamalai National Park. The mountains covered with the rolling grasslands and high level shoals are breath-attractively beautiful. This park was established to protect the Nilgiri Tahr also known as the Nilgiri Ibex. Half the world population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr lives here. Besides the Nilgiri tahr other important fauna are elephant, leopard, tiger, Malabar civet, sambar, barking deer, Nilgiri, langur, python etc. The birds found are imperial pigeon, grey jungle fowl etc. Eravikulam National Park harbors the largest surviving population of Nilgiri tahr.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

The beautiful Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is rated along with the finest wildlife sanctuaries and is one of the best tourist spots in Kerala. Known for its enchanting scenic beauty, Chinnar is a natural habitat for an amazing variety of flora and fauna including some rare and endangered wildlife species. The Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary lies in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats, and so receives comparatively less rainfall in comparison to other parts of Kerala. The plant lives of Chinnar first and foremost comprises of prickly scrub forest, dried out deciduous forest, high shoals and wet grasslands, which supports a wide variety of wildlife. Popularly looked upon as the second locale of the endangered giant grayish squirrel, the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary also shelters Asiatic Elephants, Tigers, Sambars, Bonnets, Spotted Deer, Macaques, Indian Bisons and spectacled Cobras to name a few. The sanctuary is also rich in its avifauna and attracts a wide variety of exotic and colorful birds including Woodpeckers, Peacocks, Little Cormorants, Darters and Black Eagles etc.

Silent Valley National Park

Silent Valley National Park is another best tourist mark about Kerala tourism. It rises abruptly to the Nilgiri Plateau in the north and overlooks the plains of Mannarkkad in the south. Despite its name, the Silent Valley (the clamor of Cicadas is conspicuously absent here) echoes with the sounds of teeming wildlife. The denizens of this sprawling habitat of endangered virgin tropical forests include rare birds, deer and tiger. Perhaps, nowhere else can one also find such a representative collection of peninsular mammals, over a 100 species of butterflies and 400 species of moths and other fauna like the Ceylon Frog Moth, Great Indian Hornbill, the Nilgiri Laughing Thrush and the Lion-tailed Macaque. Silent valley is extremely fragile, a unique preserve of tropical evergreen rain forests, totally undisturbed, lying above the equator and the forest strip which causes the summer rains during June- July in Kerala.

Kerala has seen the rise and fall of many an empire the Chera Empire, Kalabhra Interregnum, and the Kulashekharas. The arrival of Vasco Da Gama at Calicut is another familiar sight in the history of Kerala. In fact, the Portuguese had a strong impact on the educational and cultural life of the people of Kerala. Each dynasty, each rule and each era has left behind a legacy which is now a part of Kerala’s rich cultural heritage. Kerala has several forts, palaces, cemeteries and citadels, some of which are very well preserved and others which still retain an irresistible charm despite the worn down state they are in. The hills, rocks and valleys which contribute to the very unique character of Wayanad and Idukki provide a lot for adventure tourism.